Method of obtaining solidified granules or pearls from liquids



Aug. 9, 1927. w WACHTEL 1,638,669

METHOD OF OBTAINING SOLIDIFIED GRANULES OR PEARLS FROM LIQUIDS Fi led June 29, 1925 l'nvenior v and the like, but it may also Patented Aug. 9, 1927. I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

- WILHELM WACHTEL, F BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM AKTIENGE- SELLSCHAFT FUR CHEMISCHE PRODUKTE VORMALS H'- SCHEIDEMANDEL, \O F BERLIN, GER/MANY.

7 METHOD or OBTAINING sommrmn GRANULES on PEARLS raom LIQUIDS.

Application filed J'une 29, 1925, Serial No.

This invention concerns the production of solid globules,- granules, drops or socalled pearls from liquids consisting of substances in melted condition or solutions thereof which are in sufiiciently concentrated condition to solidify on cooling. Proposals have already been formulated by us whereby solutions of substances such as glue, gelatine or the like are caused to 10 pass into a cooling fluid in such a way that the substances solidify as separate globules therein.

The employment of liquid cooling baths naturally entails the subsequent separation of the globules from the cooling liquid, an operation necessitating special apparatus and being accompanied by a loss, if only small, of gooling liquid. I

By means of the improved method of this invention such loss can be avoided and gran ules of predetermined size and shape can j be obtained.

The improved method consists in transforming. liquids consisting of melted substances or solutions of substances intogranulars or pearls by causing the liquids in the form of drops, to fallen to a cooling surface adapted to travel underneath the point of discharge at a rate corresponding to that of the discharge of the liquid, the granules or earlsbeing removed from the cooling sur ace when sufiiciently solidified.

The improved method is especially suited for the treatment of warmed solutions of colloidal substances such as glue, gelatine e applied to substances of other kinds.

It is known, per se, and especially in the margarine industry, to spread semi-fluid masses over a cooling surface and cause them to solidi'fy'by impartin a travelling movement to the surface an adhering mass, the solidified or crystallized mass being then detached by means of scrapers or-the like. A definite granular form cannot, however, be I imparted to the. product by this known method, the product, on the contrary, being ,discharged as anamorphous mass or in flakes.

On the other hand, it is novel to deliver a liquid in the form of separate drops on to amovin cooling surface in such a way that each rop remains separate, and fur-; ms'hes a granule or pearl on solidifica- 40,363, and in Germany December 15, 1924.

tion. With the methodof this invention it is therefore possible,- by suitably adjusting the dropping device, to obtain accurate sizing of the individual granules.

The apparatus for carrying the method into practice is comparatively simple and can take various forms so long as there is coaction between a dropping device, fed with the liquid (such as a solution of a gelatinizing colloid) and a moving cooling surface underneath, saidv cooling surface preferably making a complete circuit in order to render the operation continuous. Such cooling surfaces are already known in the art in many forms, such as belt conveyors, rotary tables, cooling drums and the like.

A typical embodiment of an apparatus for carrying out the new method is diagrammatically illustrated in the drawing in,

which A droppmg device (1, comprising a series I) mounted on a horizontal axis. The series of dropping nozzles may extend across the full width of the drum, but the nozzles are set at such distance apart that the falling drops cannot'come in o mutual contact and coalesce. *When the 'umcharged with a cooling medium in known manneris rotated. 1n the direction of the arrow, the

. dropping device will deposit successive parallel rows of drops on to. the outer surface of the drum, which drops will gradually so- It ma be advanta eous to allow the drum and ad erent granu es topass through 'a' coolin bath during alonger or shorter period 0 its course between the charging-and discharging points on the drum. Such .a coolin bath (1 is shown on the drawing as bein ocated beneath the shaft of the drum 6, winch latter is immersed in a coolln bath for a portion of its periphery. An en less belt of which a. port1on Re s shown,

.1 of dropping nozzles or the like, is arranged vertically above a revolving cooling drum.

passes throu h the bath substantially concentric with t e drum, to receive the finished granules which are scraped from the'surface of-the drum 6 by the scraper c; this belt 0 will likewise serve to carry any granules which may be discharged from the surface of the drum before encountering the scraper 0.

The belt f is provided for driving the drum 1) continuously.

It will be noted that whether'the cooling bath is used or not, the drops pass for more than half the circumference of the drum.

What I claim is 1'. The method of obtaining solidifie granules from hot solidifiable liquids which consists in forming the liquid into drops,

causing the drops to fallupon and adhere to a surface,moving the surface continuously to present new points for the reception of further drops, and continuously maintaining the surface at a low temperature to gradually solidify the drops, passing the .drops while adhering to the surface through a cooling bath, and removing the solidified drops from the surface.

2; In an apparatus for forming solidified granules from liquids, a liquid container, a

' drop-forming device to receive liquid from said container and deliver it in the form of falling drops, a; device presenting a surface adapted to travel across the path of the drops and to which the drops will adhere, means to continuously cool said surface, and a scra r to separate from the surface the solidi ed granules formed from said drops.

3. In an apparatus for forming solidified granules from liquids, a liquid container, a ro forming device to receive liquid from sai container and deliver it in the form of falling drops, a device presenting a surface adapted to travel across the path of the dropsand to which the drops will adhere, means to continuously cool said-surface, a cooling bath disposed in the bath of said surface as it travels, and a scraper to separate from the surface the solidified granules formed from said drops.

4. In an apparatus for forming solidified granules from liquids, an internally cooled.

from said cylinder after contact with the bath.

- In testimony whereof I haves igned 'my name to this specification.

WILHELM WACHTELQ 

